The term for purposes here, "medical sharps," refers to used medical and surgical devices intended to be disposed of after use instead of being sterilized for re-use. These include items such as needles, syringes, scalpels and scalpels blades which have sharp edges that can harm a person, especially when they are contaminated with microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria.
Many medical offices, clinics and hospitals generate used medical sharps which immediately after usage must be put in a safe place and ultimately disposed of. Locations having a very high rate of generation of these objects usually have a collection system in which the sharps are placed in a closed container that is collected and discharged at a separated collection point where a very large number of sharps are gathered and sent elsewhere for ultimate disposal.
Such arrangements may be suitable for large sites, but are not satisfactory for places where the generation of sharps is less frequent. The presence of these larger collection systems in the office or clinic becomes a matter of continuous concern because of the risk of physical contact that might penetrate the skin, and of contamination by microorganisms which they might carry.
This is an active field because of the serious concerns which it involves. It is to be expected that many efforts have been made to solve the problems. Generally they are addressed to the containment of sharps, often involving trap-like structures and sanitizing liquids. In theory these should all be satisfactory, but generally they bring with them their own problems.
For example, systems which use liquids to destroy microorganisms in a container which receives the sharps present the risk of spilling or of release from a broken or tipped over container. Then when the container is finally filled, the problem arises of what to do with it. A landfill is the preferred destination, but those are steadily restricting the standards of what they will accept. Anything of this type that includes a liquid, no matter how strong the container, is likely to be rejected, especially if it may contain hazardous or dangerous materials.
So there results a need for a receptacle for sharps which receptacle contains materials that have the capacity to destroy microorganisms, and are safe in case of a spill in the office. This means a solid material, rather than a liquid. While in use as a receptacle for post-use sharps, over a period that may last as long as a year, it should not have a disagreeable odor when opened, nor emit noxious gases.
Then, when the receptacle is to be converted to a permanent urn, the composition surrounding the sharps should be a stable solid material which is self shape retaining and which consists entirely of materials that are acceptable in landfills that do not accept hazardous materials, thereby eliminating any need for incineration of the sharps. In some arrangements the urn's composition may even result in the decomposition of the sharps over a long period of time.
Additionally, it is necessary that the receptacle, now an urn, remain unruptured after the final encapsulation of the sharps because landfills will not accept broken containers of this sort or accept containers that break easily. Excessive heat might weaken or damage the receptacle during a curing process to be described herein. Accordingly, self-contained means can advantageously be provided to maintain the curing temperature at a low level that does not degrade the container, and the container must be strong enough to resist strong forces such as are exerted by a compactor in a landfill.
This invention provides a receptacle and substances which accomplish these objectives.